Killer's Kiss

Chapter eight

Awareness prickled over Chaeyoung's skin, raising goosebumps that crawled along her arms. The chilly wind no longer fazed her; instead, it felt like she'd been transported to a sweltering Dubai summer. She swallowed hard, her throat dry as she wetted her lips in nervous habit.

''Who even are you?'' she asked, attempting to sound fierce, but the words emerged as a pitiful squeak. What is wrong with this woman? Somehow, she was forcing Chaeyoung into reactions she couldn't control, as if she were a needle pricking nerves she didn't know she had.

''I'm deeply hurt.'' The woman smiled, a slow, deliberate curve of her lips that sent an eerie shiver down Chaeyoung's spine. Her back stiffened instinctively, a sensation like ants crawling beneath her skin. ''I've seen you on multiple occasions, and you still don't recognize me?''

Of course, Chaeyoung recognized her. How could she not? She knew exactly who this was, where they'd crossed paths, and how. But she was nothing if not good at feigning indifference. If memory served her right, this was Lisa—Momo's notorious ''cold-ass'' friend.

''I'm Lisa,'' the woman said in a raspy tone, stepping closer to the Hyundai with deliberate, measured steps. ''How do you know this guy?''

Chaeyoung blinked, struggling to absorb the pointed question. Her mind lagged behind, trapped by the magnetic pull of Lisa's presence. It wasn't just her striking appearance—it was her aura, commanding and intense, like a palpable force that wrapped around Chaeyoung, leaving her frozen. There was a weight to it, an unspoken power that intimidated and mesmerized in equal measure.

Chanyeol finally focused on Lisa, and his reaction was immediate. His already pale face turned ghostly white, as though all blood had drained from it. ''L-Lisa?'' he stammered.

Chaeyoung raised an eyebrow, turning her gaze to him. ''How do you know this guy?''

Lisa's expression darkened. Her stance grew even more imposing, and Chaeyoung instinctively took a step back. ''Don't mess around,'' Lisa said, her voice sharp enough to cut. ''I asked first.''

Chaeyoung cleared her throat, trying desperately to appear as unaffected as the pigeon perched casually on the nearby electrical wires. ''I... I had a one-night stand with him.''

''You... what?'' Lisa's voice was eerily calm, but the tension beneath her words was unmistakable. Everything about her—the stark black clothes, the heavy boots, the severe lines of her stance—exuded an unsettling menace. The woman was too much. Too abrasive, too overwhelming. Chaeyoung could feel her body rejecting her presence, a deep-seated dislike taking root almost instantly.

''I slept with him,'' Chaeyoung repeated, crossing her arms defiantly. Her eyes met Lisa's, two molten orbs of intensity burning into hers. ''How is that any of your business, anyway?''

Lisa smiled—a dangerous, calculated smile that only served to raise Chaeyoung's hackles. ''You're right. It's none of my business. By all means, carry on.'' She gestured toward Chanyeol with a mocking flourish. ''Driving with a drugged moron isn't dangerous at all.''

''Yeah, I will do just that,'' Chaeyoung shot back, her tone clipped.

Lisa never thought she'd find herself tailing a stranger's car, yet here she was, gripping the steering wheel of her Range Rover so tightly that the veins in her hands stood out in sharp, cobalt lines. Her mind swirled with questions. What is it about the Los Angeles air that makes me lose all sense of reason?

Usually, Lisa was detached, a cold-blooded killer operating with precision and control. But now, she was following Chaeyoung's Hyundai with a single purpose: to ensure the fragile woman didn't wind up in a wreck. It was absurd. Laughable, even.